


Winter

by twosidedcoin



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen, Pure Leo and Donnie brotherly fluff, Turtle Tots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 14:09:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16369085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twosidedcoin/pseuds/twosidedcoin
Summary: Winter in New York City is cold.And not just normal cold like the rest of the world seems to think of it. It’s a type of cold that burrows its way inside your bones and lingers. It’s even worse if you’re a turtle that lives in the sewers and though Leo had never been shy about complaining about the cold his brothers never seemed to take him seriously.-or-Donnie pushes his limits. Leo pushes back. Some interesting results occur.





	Winter

Winter in New York City is cold.

And not just normal cold like the rest of the world seems to think of it. It’s a type of cold that burrows its way inside your bones and _lingers_. It’s even worse if you’re a turtle that lives in the sewers and though Leo had never been shy about complaining about the cold his brothers never seemed to take him seriously.

They all felt the nip of cold air, but it was recoverable. Never more than a discomfort.

Leo never shared that, and he kept most of the details to himself. His winter array of clothing he kept in his closet, and how he would have to spend most of the nights lying next to a crappy rundown heat lamp he stolen several years ago. Not to mention how he’s always the first brother who suggests climbing out from the sewers the moment the weather becomes decent.

And that’s fine. Leo is fine and most of his complaints have turned into a teasing sort of reserve as to not worry his brothers.

Then Raph approached Leo one day with a serious expression across his features and at Leo’s blank expression Raph said, “I’m taking Mikey upside. Don’s locked in his lab and refuses to leave or listen to me or Mikey. You always can get him to listen to you. Get him to bed.”

Leo’s smile puckered because everything inside him felt frozen except the bubbling jealousy that Raph was taking Mikey upside and leaving him down here to deal with Donnie’s moodiness. Even though he _knew_ Raph was right. He was the only one Donnie really listened to when it came to things such as sleep and food and taking a break because self-care is the best care.

So Leo pushes the jealousy and inner anger down so deep that it’s practically smothered by the cold inside him and nods. Raph beams back at him thankfully, says nothing as he moves past calling Mikey’s name. Mikey appears from nowhere, bouncing excitedly at the promise of going upside leaving Leo to deal with their brother.

Leo found Donnie sitting in his lab, bent over and tongue sticking out from the corner of his mouth the way it did whenever he was in deep concentration. He didn’t even notice Leo’s entrance- have long since made it clear that they were all welcome in his workshop as long as they kept their hands to themselves.

“Hey Dee!” Leo chirped past the freezing bones and dull sleep deprived headache he gets on the colder nights to plant a fake smile on his face as he approached the hunched figure of his brother.

Donnie grunted in reply. Didn’t move though he must have figured out why Leo was there. Raph also sent him in whenever he or Mikey fail at luring Donnie out of his lab, which was ten times out of ten.

“So this newest project you have,” Leo continued, “Anything exciting?”

“Depends,” Donnie replied, “Do you find electromagnetism and self-cleaning filters exciting?”

“Not especially,” Leo admitted as he pressed himself against his brother’s side and said, “You know I have to ask Donald.”

Donnie was silent.

“The answer is no,” he finally whispered, voice so soft it was practically inaudible, “I can’t remember the last time I’ve slept.”

“Or ate. Or drank something that isn’t coffee,” Leo added before concluding, “I’m guessing.”

“You’re smarter than we give you credit for Leon,” Donnie snarled, words meaning to bite but it was hard to be offended when all Leo could think about was how he wanted to curl up and sleep until summer.

“And you’re dumber than you give yourself credit for,” Leo mumbled dumbly, “So let’s just skip the preamble and get you to bed. Come on, my room’s closest.”

Don grumbled at Leo’s hands, planting himself in his seat and refusing to move. Leo gave an annoyed sigh, dropping back next to his brother.

“Raph’s worried about you,” Leo told him, “Mikey too. You can’t spend your whole life here. You have to take care of yourself. You have to sleep and eat and hydrate.”

“You know you’re usually better at these sort of conversations,” Donnie informed him with a skeptical scowl as he turned his attention towards Leo.

Leo shrugged, too exhausted to care. He didn’t even realize he was shivering until Donnie’s dark eyes squinted at him with a newfound expression of concern.

“Are you cold Leo?”

“You keep it near frozen in here,” Leo snapped back defensively, “Not to mention we just went through the coldest winter I think since the beginning of time.”

“Leo,” Donnie reprimanded.

Leo’s mouth clicked shut, and he only sort of attempted to pull away when Donnie took Leo’s face in his hands. It wasn’t like he was going to find anything wrong with him anyways. Leo wasn’t sick or ill, he was just cold. All winter he’s been so cold it almost hurt.

“Have you been sleeping lately?” Donnie asked and Leo gave him an irritated expression; Donnie relented with a soft chuckle, “Alright Leo. You’re right. That was a bit unfair of me to ask.”

“I’ve gotten more sleep than you,” Leo offered.

“ _Leo_ ,” Donnie chastised, “Come on. You need to go to bed.”

Leo caught his wrist on their way up and said, “Only if you agree to sleep too. I’m serious Don.”

Donnie gave him a gentle expression- one he reserved for only them- before they made their way to Leo’s room. It wasn’t until Donnie was wrestling with his door that Leo realized he still had the lamp and stack of blankets laid in the center of his room.

Donnie blinked at it before turning to face him with a soft, “ _Leo?_ ”

Leo shrugged and knew Donnie was waiting for him to explain so he said, “I get cold Dee. There’s nothing new about that.”

Donnie blinked at him dumbly, like he was confused. Then it must have clicked as his eyes moved back towards the lamp as its newest implication dawned on. Leo ignored the stark expression as he helped his brother onto his bed, yanking the cover so it pulled over his brother’s head for no other reason except he knew it would annoy him.

“ _Leo_ ,” Donnie protested again, shoving the blanket back down.

“Go to sleep Dee,” Leo commanded, keeping his voice soft and soothing.

Donnie glared even as he laid down to obey, eyes fluttering shut before his head hit the pillow. Leo smiled down at him, admiring how nonthreatening Donnie could look while sleeping, before he moved to put away the heater and set up a miniature fort he could sleep on.

* * *

 

Leo groaned upon waking up, shivering. He rolled over, bleary eyes taking in his now-empty bed and when he sat up his room spun in a wide arc before he managed to reorient himself.

“Donnie?” he called though he didn’t suspect an answer.

Donnie was gone, probably back in his lab. Leo groaned again as he rose to his feet and moved to find his brother. He found him- predictably enough- in his lab tinkering on what appeared to be a giant lamp.

“ _Donnie_ ,” Leo chided, coming to a stop at his shoulder, “What’s so important you that you had to get out of bed?”

“It’s been almost 24 hours Leon,” Donnie replied with a slight teasing note, “You sure I’m the one we should be concerned about not sleeping?”

Leo shrugged, grinning.

“Besides,” Donnie continued as he shifted his gaze so he was staring up at him, “this is a gift. For you.”

And it wasn’t that Donnie was shy about giving gifts but he usually waited until he thought of something meaningful. Leo frowned at the lamp, forehead ceased in a confused expression. A lamp was almost a disappointment compared to what Donnie was truly capable of.

“Thanks,” he said not quite succeeding in keeping the disappointment from his voice.

Donnie paid it no mind as he turned back to his invention and explained, “It’s a sun lamp. For the especially cold nights.”

Realization struck Leo’s insides as something warm and fuzzy blossomed there. Without asking for permission he slung his arms around his brother’s neck and squeezed and because Donnie secretly loves the attention he didn’t shove him away.

“You’re the best Dee,” Leo told him, and Donnie chuckled.

“I know,” Donnie said but Leo heard what his brother didn’t say.

_You’re very welcome. Sorry it took so long._

Leo just squeezed him tighter.


End file.
